High-Throughput Screening Methods to Identify Small Molecule Targets

ABSTRACT

Provided herein are methods for identifying pairs of protein binding partners, mutations of which may inform the discovery of pharmaceutically useful small molecules. The methods disclosed herein may allow for the adaptation of the native protein degradation system to modulate specific disease targets at the protein level, in particular, for targets that have long been considered undruggable.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 63/023,181 filed May 11, 2020, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Targeting biological processes within cells for pharmacologicalintervention is the central goal for drug discovery. The process ofidentifying an inhibitory drug for a specific target protein must meetthe demands of high affinity for the target, high potency andselectivity for the target effect, and identifying a dose that maintainshigh enough drug concentration at the intended tissue to sustain thedesired pharmacological effect, while minimizing toxicity and unintendedoff-target effects. Small molecules are attractive candidates formodulation of intracellular targets because of their ability to crossplasma membranes, access a wide range of tissues and sites of action,effect multiple targets simultaneously, and be produced economically atscale.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an endogenous intracellularprotein degradation system that is highly conserved across eukaryoticspecies. Polyubiquitylation of a target protein by an E3 ubiquitinligase destines the target protein for subsequent destruction by theproteasome, a multi-unit cylindrical structure that proteolyticallybreaks down its target protein substrates. This highly regulated systemof protein degradation is critical for cellular homeostasis and may bedisrupted in various disease states. Co-opting this native proteindegradation system to modulate specific disease targets at the proteinlevel is an active area of current research and has great therapeuticpotential, especially for targets that have long been considered“undruggable.”

The transfer of ubiquitin molecules to a target protein, the substrate,by an E3 ubiquitin ligase is mediated by both substrate recognition andproximity. In the native context, several different mechanisms ofsubstrate recognition exist, most of which involve degrons—short aminoacid sequences or chemical motifs on the target protein that arerecognized by the E3 ubiquitin ligase and mediate interaction betweenthe ligase and the target protein substrate. N-degrons at the N-terminusof target proteins may be revealed by proteolytic cleavage and mediaterecognition by E3 ubiquitin ligase. Phosphodegrons are converted intotheir active and recognized form by phosphorylation of a tyrosine,serine, or threonine residue of the target protein. A ubiquitin ligasemay only recognize the phosphorylated version of the substrate due tostabilization within the ligase-substrate binding site—unphosphorylatedsubstrates are not recognized. Further, oxygen, small molecules, orstructural motifs of the substrate may also influence degronrecognition.

Previous work demonstrated that a small molecule known to interact witha target protein could be linked to an epitope known to interact with anE3 ubiquitin ligase, mediating proximity-based interaction between thetarget protein and E3 ubiquitin ligase, and thereby triggering cellulardegradation of the target protein. So-called “proteolysis-targetingchimera,” or PROTACs, demonstrated that artificial stabilization of theternary complex between the E3 ubiquitin ligase and the degradationtarget resulted in successful degradation of the target. PROTACs consistof two small molecules connected by a linker. However, the relativelyhigh molecular weight, physiochemical properties, and pharmaceuticalproperties of most PROTACs make them unsuitable as candidates for smallmolecule drugs.

Recently, a class of small molecules has been shown to mediate or induceinteraction between an E3 ubiquitin ligase and its target proteinsubstrate. Thalidomide analogs, including lenalidomide and pomalidomide,bind to the E3 ubiquitin ligase CRL4^(CRBN), and induce degradation ofvarious targets including Ikaros (IKZF1), Aiolos, and CK1α, withsurprising versatility and selectivity. These discoveries, among others,illuminated opportunities to identify small molecules that may agonizeprotein-protein interactions, e.g., between an E3 ubiquitin ligase and anovel target protein, and identify therapeutic targets. For example, asmall molecule may be identified or designed to chemically induceUPS-mediated degradation of undruggable proteins that are immune totraditional small molecule inhibitors.

The methods disclosed herein include several distinct advantages overexisting protein-protein interaction screening approaches, e.g., phagedisplay or yeast surface display. First, the methods disclosed hereinallow for library-by-library screening, i.e., interrogating interactionsbetween one plurality of potential protein binding partners and anotherplurality of protein binding partners en masse in a high-throughput way.Phage and yeast surface display techniques can only screen bindingagainst a limited number of targets simultaneously due to the spectralresolution of existing fluorescent reporters. For example, suchtechniques would be limited to screening for targets of only a few E3ubiquitin ligases at a time. The methods disclosed herein enablescreening for targets of many variants of many E3 ubiquitin ligases at atime in a single assay.

Second, the methods disclosed herein provide quantitative results ofinteraction intensities at a very fine level of resolution. Existingapproaches may be limited to only detecting strong interactions thatexceed a certain threshold established by the investigator and mayenrich for only those strong interactions. The methods disclosed hereinmay detect subtle modulations in binding affinity between variants ofpotential protein binding partners, for example, during a screen of asite-saturation mutagenesis (SSM) library of one protein binding partneragainst a site-saturation mutagenesis (SSM) library of a second proteinbinding partner. Modest and quantitative effects of mutations at thebinding interface may be detected by the methods disclosed herein thatwould have been otherwise undetected by other screening platforms. Inaddition, the methods disclosed herein are particularly well-suited todetecting and identifying potentially novel substrates for targetingproteins, for example, novel substrates for E3 ubiquitin ligases. Theinteraction between an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a previously unknownsubstrate represent attractive candidates for small molecule discoveryand design.

Finally, the methods disclosed herein are high-throughput, fast, andcost-effective. All protein binding partners in the extensivelibrary-by-library studies enabled by the methods disclosed herein aregenetically encoded and produced by yeast cells. No expensive andlaborious expression and purification of recombinant proteins isrequired. Thousands of potential interactions are screened quickly andaffordably in a single assay.

For the reasons discussed above, there is thus a need for rationalhigh-throughput methods to discover pairs of protein binding partners,e.g., an E3 ubiquitin ligase and its target protein substrate, theinteraction of which may be amenable to modulation by small molecules.After such a pair of protein binding partners is discovered,high-throughput small molecule screening campaign or rational drugdesign based on the crystal structures of the protein-protein interface.The methods disclosed herein meet that need.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, methods are provided for assaying protein-proteininteractions, the method comprising providing a plurality of polypeptideubiquitin ligase species expressed and displayed on the surface of afirst plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells, wherein the firstplurality of polypeptides ubiquitin ligase species comprises a libraryof wild-type polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and mutant polypeptideubiquitin ligase species that have been modified at one or more aminoacid residue positions by mutagenesis; providing a plurality ofpolypeptide substrate species expressed and displayed on the surface ofa second plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells, wherein theplurality of polypeptide substrate species comprises a library ofwild-type polypeptide substrate species and mutant polypeptidesubstrates species that have been modified at one or more amino acidresidue positions by mutagenesis; combining the first plurality ofrecombinant haploid yeast cells and the second plurality of recombinanthaploid yeast cells in a liquid medium to produce a culture; growing theculture for a time and under conditions such that one or moreinteractions between one or more of the plurality of polypeptideubiquitin ligase species and one or more of the plurality of polypeptidesubstrate species mediates one or more mating events between one or moreof the first plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells and one ormore of the second plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells toproduce one or more diploid yeast cells; determining, based on thenumber of mating events in the culture, the strength of the interactionsbetween one or more of the plurality of polypeptide ubiquitin ligasespecies and one or more of the plurality of polypeptide substratespecies; and identifying pairs of polypeptides wherein one or both ofone of the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and one of thepolypeptide substrate species have been modified at one or more aminoacid residue positions by mutagenesis and the strength of theinteraction (K_(D)) between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species andthe polypeptide substrate species is stronger or weaker than theinteraction between the corresponding wild-type polypeptide species byat least 10%.

In further embodiments, the strength of the interaction (K_(D)) betweenthe polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and the polypeptide substratespecies is stronger or weaker than the interaction between thecorresponding wild-type polypeptide species by at least 25%. In yetfurther embodiments, the one or more polypeptide ubiquitin ligasespecies are E3 ubiquitin ligase species. In some embodiments, the one ormore polypeptide substrate species comprise a known or predicted degronmotif. In other embodiments one or more of the first plurality ofpolypeptides have been modified at one or more amino acid residuepositions by mutagenesis to introduce steric bulk to a domain of thepolypeptide.

In other embodiments, the method further comprises computationallymodeling the interface between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase speciesand the polypeptide substrate species that have been modified at one ormore amino acid residue positions by mutagenesis in order to determinethe structure of the interface between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligasespecies and the polypeptide substrate species. In further embodimentsthe growing step further comprises growing the culture in the presenceof one or more small molecules, proteins, peptides, pharmaceuticalcompound, or other chemical entities.

In yet other embodiments, the identifying step further comprisesidentifying pairs of polypeptides wherein the strength of theinteraction (K_(D)) between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species andthe polypeptide substrate species is stronger or weaker in the presenceof one or more small molecules, proteins, peptides, pharmaceuticalcompound, or other chemical entities than the interaction between thepolypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and the polypeptide substratespecies in the absence of the one or more small molecules, proteins,peptides, pharmaceutical compound, or other chemical entities by atleast 10%.

In some embodiments the plurality of polypeptides ubiquitin ligasespecies are wild-type ubiquitin ligase species and the plurality ofpolypeptide substrate species are wild type polypeptide substratespecies. In other embodiments an interaction between one of theplurality of polypeptides ubiquitin ligase species and one of theplurality of polypeptide substrate species is detected in the presenceof one or more small molecules, proteins, peptides, pharmaceuticalcompound while no interaction is detected between one of the pluralityof polypeptides ubiquitin ligase species and one of the plurality ofpolypeptide substrate species in the absence of the small molecule,protein, peptide, pharmaceutical compound, or other chemical entity.

In other embodiments, methods are provided for assaying protein-proteininteractions, the method comprising providing a plurality of firstprotein binding partners expressed and displayed on the surface of afirst plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells, wherein theplurality of first protein binding partners comprises a library ofwild-type polypeptide species and mutant polypeptide species that havebeen modified at one or more amino acid residue positions bymutagenesis; providing a plurality of second protein binding partnersexpressed and displayed on the surface of a second plurality ofrecombinant haploid yeast cells, wherein the plurality of second proteinbinding partners comprises a library of wild-type polypeptide speciesand mutant polypeptide species that have been modified at one or moreamino acid residue positions by mutagenesis; combining the firstplurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells and the second plurality ofrecombinant haploid yeast cells in a liquid medium to produce a culture;growing the culture for a time and under conditions such that one ormore interactions between one or more of the plurality of first proteinbinding partners and one or more of the plurality of second proteinbinding partners mediates one or more mating events between one or moreof the first plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells and one ormore of the second plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells toproduce one or more diploid yeast cells; determining, based on thenumber of mating events in the culture, the strength of the interactionsbetween one or more of the plurality of first protein binding partnersand one or more of the plurality of second protein binding partners; andidentifying pairs of polypeptides wherein one or both of one of thefirst protein binding partners and one of the second protein bindingpartners have been modified at one or more amino acid residue positionsby mutagenesis and the strength of the interaction (K_(D)) between thefirst protein binding partner and the second protein binding partner isstronger or weaker than the interaction between the correspondingwild-type polypeptide species by at least 10%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments and,together with the description, explain these embodiments. Theaccompanying drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Anyvalues dimensions illustrated in the accompanying graphs and figures arefor illustration purposes only and may or may not represent actual orpreferred values or dimensions. Where applicable, some or all featuresmay not be illustrated to assist in the description of underlyingfeatures. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a series of charts showing the library-by-libraiyscreening capacity resolution of the methods disclosed herein

FIG. 2A is a schematic of two protein binding partners interacting in acomplex, highlighting the interface between the two protein bindingpartners and a site saturation mutagenesis (SSM) screen of the twoprotein binding partners.

FIG. 2B is a heatmap representing the relative intensity data generatedby the methods disclosed herein for a library-by-library screen ofinteractions between SSM libraries of two protein binding partners.

FIG. 3A is a graphical representation of quantitative interaction datafor a subset of protein-protein interactions presented in the heatmap ofFIG. 2B and illustrates a scenario wherein wild-type protein bindingpartners interact with high affinity, mutant protein binding partnersinteract with high affinity, but a mutant of either the first or secondprotein binding partner does not interact with the wild-type form of theother protein binding partner.

FIG. 3B is a graphical representation of quantitative interaction datafor a subset of protein-protein interactions presented in the heatmap ofFIG. 2B and illustrates a scenario wherein both the wild-type and mutantform of the first protein binding partner interact with the wild-typeform of the second protein binding partner, but the wild-type firstprotein binding partner does not interact with the mutant second proteinbinding partner, i.e., mutation of the second protein binding partnerabolishes interaction with the wild-type first protein binding partner.

FIG. 3C is a graphical representation of quantitative interaction datafor a subset of protein-protein interactions presented in the heatmap ofFIG. 2B and illustrates a scenario wherein both the wild-type and mutantform of the first protein binding partner interact with the mutant formof the second protein binding partner, but the mutant first proteinbinding partner does not interact with the wild-type second proteinbinding partner, i.e., mutation of the first protein binding partnerabolishes interaction with the wild-type second protein binding partner.

FIG. 4 illustrates the workflow of a library-by-library protein-proteininteraction screen using the methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates the workflow of a library-by-library protein-proteininteraction screen in the presence of a candidate small molecule usingthe methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 6A illustrates the capability of the methods disclosed herein todetect the effect of known small molecule agonists on the interactionbetween two protein binding partners.

FIG. 6B is a plot depicting the agonistic effect of rapamycin and itsanalogs on the interaction between FKBP12 and the FRB domain as detectedby the methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 7A is a schematic illustrating thalidomide, or its analogs,mediating the interaction between CRBN and IKZF1.

FIG. 7B is a chart highlighting the agonistic effect of thalidomide,lenalidomide, and pomalidomide on the interaction of IKZF1 withwild-type CRBN, but not mutant CRBN.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustrating the process according to the methodsdisclosed herein for identifying putative “holes” in a protein bindingpartner that may indicate candidates for functional small moleculescreening.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustrating a screen for interaction between afirst protein binding partner and a library of second protein bindingpartners according to the methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustrating a screen for interaction between alibrary of first protein binding partners and a library of secondprotein binding partners.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the workflow of the methodsdisclosed herein.

FIG. 12 illustrates the workflow of a library-by-library protein-proteininteraction screen using the methods disclosed herein, wherein more thanone member of the first library of protein binding partners arepolypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases and more than one member of the secondlibrary of protein binding partners are polypeptide target substrates.

FIG. 13 illustrates a heatmap of quantitative binding affinity datagenerated by the methods disclosed herein representing intensities ofinteractions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases and polypeptidetarget substrates.

FIG. 14A illustrates a zoomed in section of heatmap of FIG. 13highlighting intensities of particular interactions between proteinbinding partners in greater resolution.

FIG. 14B illustrates a section of the heatmap of FIG. 14A zoomed infurther to depict greater detail, and the results of an additionalexperiment including small molecule compounds.

FIG. 15 illustrates a heatmap of quantitative binding affinity datagenerated by the methods disclosed herein between the polypeptide E3ubiquitin ligases KEAP1 and the polypeptide target substrate Nrf2.

FIG. 16 illustrates a heatmap of quantitative binding affinity datarepresenting intensities of interactions between polypeptide E3ubiquitin ligases and polypeptide target substrates and identifies novelsubstrates for the E3 ubiquitin ligases KEAP1 and SPSB2.

FIG. 17A illustrates a heatmap of quantitative binding affinity datarepresenting intensities of interactions between a library of variantsof the polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase cereblon (CRBN) and a library ofvariants of its polypeptide target substrate Ikaros (IKZF1).

FIG. 17B is a plot of a subset of the binding affinity data representedin the heatmaps of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18 illustrates structural models of the binding interface betweenCRBN and IKZF1, highlighting the binding interface of wild-type andmutant variants of CRBN and IKZF1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawingsis intended to be a description of various, illustrative embodiments ofthe disclosed subject matter. Specific features and functionalities aredescribed in connection with each illustrative embodiment; however, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosedembodiments may be practiced without each of those specific features andfunctionalities.

Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included inat least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, theappearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” invarious places throughout the specification is not necessarily referringto the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures orcharacteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. Further, it is intended that embodiments of the disclosedsubject matter cover modifications and variations thereof.

It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appendedclaims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referentsunless the context expressly dictates otherwise. That is, unlessexpressly specified otherwise, as used herein the words “a,” “an,”“the,” and the like carry the meaning of “one or more.” Additionally, itis to be understood that terms such as “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,”“front,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,”“interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer,” and the like that may be usedherein merely describe points of reference and do not necessarily limitembodiments of the present disclosure to any particular orientation orconfiguration. Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,”etc., merely identify one of a number of portions, components, steps,operations, functions, and/or points of reference as disclosed herein,and likewise do not necessarily limit embodiments of the presentdisclosure to any particular configuration or orientation.

Furthermore, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “proximate,” “minorvariation,” and similar terms generally refer to ranges that include theidentified value within a margin of 20%, 10% or preferably 5% in certainembodiments, and any values therebetween.

All of the functionalities described in connection with one embodimentare intended to be applicable to the additional embodiments describedbelow except where expressly stated or where the feature or function isincompatible with the additional embodiments. For example, where a givenfeature or function is expressly described in connection with oneembodiment but not expressly mentioned in connection with an alternativeembodiment, it should be understood that the inventors intend that thatfeature or function may be deployed, utilized or implemented inconnection with the alternative embodiment unless the feature orfunction is incompatible with the alternative embodiment.

The practice of the techniques described herein may employ, unlessotherwise indicated, conventional techniques and descriptions of organicchemistry, polymer technology, molecular biology (including recombinanttechniques), cell biology, cell culture, biochemistry, and sequencingtechnology, which are within the skill of those who practice in the art.Such conventional techniques include bacterial, fungal, and mammaliancell culture techniques and screening assays. Specific illustrations ofsuitable techniques can be had by reference to the examples herein.However, other equivalent conventional procedures can, of course, alsobe used. Such conventional techniques and descriptions can be found instandard laboratory manuals such as Green, et al., Eds. (1999), GenomeAnalysis: A Laboratory Manual Series (Vols. I-IV); Weiner, Gabriel,Stephens, Eds. (2007), Genetic Variation: A Laboratory Manual;Dieffenbach, Dveksler, Eds. (2003), PCR Primer: A Laboratory Manual;Bowtell and Sambrook (2003), DNA Microarrays: A Molecular CloningManual; Mount (2004), Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis;Sambrook and Russell (2006), Condensed Protocols from Molecular Cloning:A Laboratory Manual; and Sambrook and Russell (2002), Molecular Cloning:A Laboratory Manual (all from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press);Stryer, L. (1995) Biochemistry (4th Ed.) W.H. Freeman, New York N.Y.;Gait, “Oligonucleotide Synthesis: A Practical Approach” 1984, IRL Press,London; Nelson and Cox (2000), Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry3^(rd) Ed., W. H. Freeman Pub., New York, N.Y.; Berg et al. (2002)Biochemistry, 5^(th) Ed., W.H. Freeman Pub., New York, N.Y.;

all of which are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference forall purposes.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. All publications mentionedherein are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing anddisclosing devices, methods and cell populations that may be used inconnection with the presently described invention.

The term “complementary” as used herein refers to Watson-Crick basepairing between nucleotides and specifically refers to nucleotideshydrogen bonded to one another with thymine or uracil residues linked toadenine residues by two hydrogen bonds and cytosine and guanine residueslinked by three hydrogen bonds. In general, a nucleic acid includes anucleotide sequence described as having a “percent complementarity” or“percent homology” to a specified second nucleotide sequence. Forexample, a nucleotide sequence may have 80%, 90%, or 100%complementarity to a specified second nucleotide sequence, indicatingthat 8 of 10, 9 of 10 or 10 of 10 nucleotides of a sequence arecomplementary to the specified second nucleotide sequence. For instance,the nucleotide sequence 3′-TCGA-5′ is 100% complementary to thenucleotide sequence 5′-AGCT-3′; and the nucleotide sequence 3′-TCGA-5′is 100% complementary to a region of the nucleotide sequence5′-TTAGCTGG-3′.

“Homology” or “identity” or “similarity” refers to sequence similaritybetween two peptides or, more often in the context of the presentdisclosure, between two nucleic acid molecules. The term “homologousregion” or “homology arm” refers to a region on the donor DNA with acertain degree of homology with the target genomic DNA sequence.Homology can be determined by comparing a position in each sequencewhich may be aligned for purposes of comparison. When a position in thecompared sequence is occupied by the same base or amino acid, then themolecules are homologous at that position. A degree of homology betweensequences is a function of the number of matching or homologouspositions shared by the sequences.

“Operably linked” refers to an arrangement of elements, e.g., barcodesequences, gene expression cassettes, coding sequences, promoters,enhancers, transcription factor binding sites, where the components sodescribed are configured so as to perform their usual function. Thus,control sequences operably linked to a coding sequence are capable ofeffecting the transcription, and in some cases, the translation, of acoding sequence. The control sequences need not be contiguous with thecoding sequence so long as they function to direct the expression of thecoding sequence. Thus, for example, intervening untranslated yettranscribed sequences can be present between a promoter sequence and thecoding sequence and the promoter sequence can still be considered“operably linked” to the coding sequence. In fact, such sequences neednot reside on the same contiguous DNA molecule (i.e. chromosome) and maystill have interactions resulting in altered regulation.

As used herein the term “selectable marker” refers to a gene introducedinto a cell, which confers a trait suitable for artificial selection.General use selectable markers are well-known to those of ordinary skillin the art. Drug selectable markers such as ampicillin/carbenicillin,kanamycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline, gentamicin,bleomycin, streptomycin, puromycin, hygromycin, blasticidin, and G418may be employed. A selectable marker may also be an auxotrophyselectable marker, wherein the cell strain to be selected for carries amutation that renders it unable to synthesize an essential nutrient.Such a strain will only grow if the lacking essential nutrient issupplied in the growth medium. Essential amino acid auxotrophicselection of, for example, yeast mutant strains, is common andwell-known in the art. “Selective medium” as used herein refers to cellgrowth medium to which has been added a chemical compound or biologicalmoiety that selects for or against selectable markers or a medium thatis lacking essential nutrients and selects against auxotrophic strains.

As used herein, the term “vector” is any of a variety of nucleic acidsthat comprise a desired sequence or sequences to be delivered to and/orexpressed in a cell. Vectors are typically composed of DNA, although RNAvectors are also available. Vectors include, but are not limited to,plasmids, fosmids, phagemids, virus genomes, BACs, YACs, PACs, syntheticchromosomes, among others.

As used herein, “affinity” is the strength of the binding interactionbetween a single biomolecule to its ligand or binding partner. Affinityis usually measured and described using the equilibrium dissociationconstant, K_(D). The lower the K_(D) value, the greater the affinitybetween the protein and its binding partner. Affinity may be affected byhydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic and Van derWaals forces between the binding partners, or by the presence of othermolecules, e.g., binding agonists or antagonists.

As used herein, “site saturation mutagenesis” (SSM), refers to a randommutagenesis technique used in protein engineering and molecular biology,wherein a codon or set of codons is substituted with all possible aminoacids at the position in the polypeptide. SSM may be performed for onecodon, several codons, or for every position in the protein. The resultis a library of mutant proteins representing the full complement ofpossible amino acids at one, several, or every amino acid position in apolypeptide. In some implementations, one or more sites in a polypeptidesequence may be changed to a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 different amino acid residues to produce alibrary of variant polypeptide sequences.

As used herein, “targeting protein” refers to a first protein bindingpartner which acts on a second protein binding partner. “Target protein”refers to a second protein binding partner that is acted upon by a firstprotein binding partner. In some implementations a targeting protein maybe an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a target protein may be a canonicalsubstrate of the E3 ubiquitin ligase. In other implementations, a targetprotein may be a novel, previously uncharacterized, or putativesubstrate of the E3 ubiquitin ligase. In other implementations, a targetprotein may be a peptide containing a known or predicted degron motif.As used herein, “targeting protein” and “target protein” may eachcomprise full-length proteins, truncated proteins, high-throughputoligonucleotide-encoded polypeptides, truncated polypeptide motifs, orknown or predicted degron motifs. As used herein, “targeting protein”and “target protein” may comprise polypeptides that are 1-50, 50-100,100-500, 500-1000, or more than 1000 amino acid residues in length.

In some implementations, the method comprises a first protein bindingpartner and a library of second protein binding partners. The firstprotein binding partner may be a targeting protein. In otherimplementations, the first protein binding partner may be, for example,an E3 ubiquitin ligase. The library of second protein binding partnersmay comprise, for example, polypeptide substrate species. The secondlibrary of protein binding partners may further comprise, for example,previously known full-length mapped E3 ubiquitin ligase substratedomains; high-throughput oligo-encodable truncated E3 ubiquitin ligasesubstrates; E3 ubiquitin ligase substrate species that have beenmodified by site saturation mutagenesis; previously defined degronmotifs; or computationally-predicted degron motifs. The library ofsecond protein binding partners may comprise a plurality ofuser-designated mutants of a target protein and the wild-type targetprotein. The plurality of user-designated mutants of a target proteinmay comprise variants of the target protein with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, or more amino acid substitutions. The amino acid substitutionsmay be chosen to introduce steric bulk to the target protein andwild-type amino acids may be substituted with natural or non-naturalamino acids. The amino acid substitutions may be generated by sitesaturation mutagenesis. The first protein binding partner and thelibrary of second protein binding partners are assayed for bindingaffinity, such that affinity is measured for interaction between thefirst protein binding partner and each of the plurality ofuser-designated mutants individually, in a parallelized high-throughputmanner. Members of the library of second protein binding partners thatare found to have a binding affinity with the first protein bindingpartner that is higher than the binding affinity of the wild-type targetprotein and the first protein binding partner are identified andselected for further study.

In some implementations wherein a first protein binding partner and alibrary of second protein binding partners are assayed for bindingaffinity, the assay may be phage display, yeast surface display, oranother parallelized high-throughput method.

In other implementations, the method comprises a library of firstprotein binding partners and a library of second protein bindingpartners. The library of first protein binding partners may comprise,for example, polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase species. The first libraryof protein binding partners may further comprise, for example,full-length E3 ubiquitin ligases with mapped domains; high-throughputuser-designed or randomly generated oligo-encodable truncated E3ubiquitin e domains; or polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase species thathave been modified by site saturation mutagenesis. The library of firstprotein binding partners may comprise a plurality of user-designatedmutants of a targeting protein and a wild-type targeting protein. Theplurality of user-designated mutants of the targeting protein maycomprise variants of the targeting protein with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, or more amino acid substitutions. The amino acid substitutionsmay be chosen to introduce steric bulk to the targeting protein andwild-type amino acids may be substituted with natural or non-naturalamino acids. The amino acid substitutions may be chosen to mimicphosphorylation or other post-translational modifications. The aminoacid substitutions may be generated by targeted, random, or sitesaturation mutagenesis. The library of second protein binding partnersmay comprise, for example, polypeptide substrate species. The secondlibrary f protein binding partners may further comprise, for example,previously known full-length mapped E3 ubiquitin ligase substratedomains; high-throughput oligo-encodable truncated E3 ubiquitin ligasesubstrates; E3 ubiquitin ligase substrate species that have beenmodified by mutagenesis; previously defined degron motifs; orcomputationally-predicted or otherwise predicted degron motifs. Thelibrary of second protein binding partners may comprise a plurality ofuser-designated mutants of a target protein and the wild-type targetprotein. The plurality of user-designated mutants of the target proteinmay comprise variants of the target protein with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, or more amino acid substitutions. The amino acid substitutionsmay be chosen to introduce steric bulk to the target protein andwild-type amino acids may be substituted with natural or non-naturalamino acids. The amino acid substitutions may be chosen to mimicphosphorylation or other post-translational modifications. The aminoacid substitutions may be generated by targeted, random, or sitesaturation mutagenesis. The library of first protein binding partnersand the library of second protein binding partners are assayed forbinding affinity, such that affinity is measured for interaction betweeneach of the plurality of mutant first protein binding partners and eachof the plurality of mutant second protein binding partners pair-wiseindividually in a parallelized high-throughput manner. Pairs comprisinga member chosen from the library of first protein binding partners and amember chosen from the library of second protein binding partners thatare found to have a binding affinity that is higher than the bindingaffinity of the wild-type targeting protein and the wild-type targetprotein are identified and selected for further study.

In some implementations, pairs of protein-binding partners comprising amember chosen from the library of first protein binding partners and amember chosen from the library of second protein binding partners areidentified by the methods disclosed herein to have a binding affinitythat is higher than the binding affinity of the wild-type targetingprotein and the wild-type target protein. The pair of protein-bindingpartners may comprise a mutant targeting protein and a wild-type targetprotein; a wild-type target protein and a mutant target protein; or amutant targeting protein and a mutant target protein. In someimplementations, the pair of protein-binding partners identified by themethods disclosed herein to have a binding affinity that is higher thanthe binding affinity of the wild-type targeting protein and thewild-type target protein may have a binding affinity that is higher thanthe binding affinity of the wild-type targeting protein and thewild-type target protein by at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%,10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 100%, 500%, 1000%, or values therebetween. Inother implementations, the pair of protein-binding partners identifiedby the methods disclosed herein to have a binding affinity that is lessthan the binding affinity of the wild-type targeting protein and thewild-type target protein may have a binding affinity that is less thanthe binding affinity of the wild-type targeting protein and thewild-type target protein by at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%,10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 100%, 500%, 1000%, or values therebetween.

In some implementations wherein a library of first protein bindingpartners is assayed against a library of second protein binding partnersfor binding affinity, the assay may be the yeast two-hybrid system, theAlphaSeq system, or another parallelized high-throughputlibrary-by-library screening method. The AlphaSeq method is described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/407,215, hereby incorporated hereinin its entirety for all purposes.

In some implementations, the mutant species comprising the library ofmutant targeting proteins or the mutant species comprising the libraryof mutant target proteins are selected to add steric bulk to theinterface between targeting protein and target protein. The amount ofspace that a group of atoms occupies is called “steric bulk.” Modulatingthe steric bulk around the interacting surface between two proteins mayaffect the affinity between the proteins, i.e. adding bulk to theinteractive surface of one or the other of two proteins that interactmay reduce affinity between the two proteins or it may increase affinitybetween the two proteins.

In a preferred implementation, a subset of pairs of protein bindingpartners that comprise one or more mutants that have been selected tointroduce steric bulk, wherein binding affinity has been measured by themethods disclosed herein as higher than the binding affinity of thewild-type/wild-type protein binding partners, is further characterized.For this subset of protein binding partners, it can be inferred that thesteric bulk introduced by amino acid substitution of one binding partneris filling a “hole” at the interface with the opposing binding partner.The protein-protein complex is stabilized by this hole-filling mediatedby the additional bulk of the amino acid substitutions, thus increasingthe affinity between the protein binding partners. In someimplementations, this stabilization and enhanced affinity is mediated bynew hydrogen bonds between the first protein binding partner and thesecond protein binding partner. This subset of protein binding partnersare thus candidates for the rational design of small molecules tosimilarly fill the putative hole identified by the methods disclosedherein. A small molecule may be identified or designed to similarly fillthe hole identified in the surface of one binding partner and stabilizethe complex of the two protein binding partners and thus enhance theaffinity between the two protein binding partners.

In some implementations, pairs of protein binding partners identified bythe methods disclosed herein are further characterized by, e.g.,crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, micro-electron diffraction,mass spectrometry, computational modeling, among other methods forcharacterizing protein-protein complexes that are well known in the art.Pairs of protein binding partners or mutant protein binding partners maybe further characterized individually or in the context of aprotein-protein complex between the two partners.

For protein binding partners identified by the methods disclosed herein,small molecule drug candidates that recapitulate the putativehole-filling and similarly stabilize the complex between the proteinbinding partners may be designed or identified and screened forfunctional effect. Small molecule design or identification may be aidedby computational modeling, computational predictions, surface modeling,cavity detection software, or computational tools e.g., Relibase,sc-PDB, Pocketome, CavBase, RAPMAD, IsoMIF, TrixP, among other proteinmodeling tools well known in the art. Candidate small molecules may bescreened by any conventional small molecule screening platform.

In some implementations, the first binding partner and second proteinbinding partner are full-length proteins. In other implementations, thefirst binding partner and second protein binding partner are truncatedproteins. In other implementations, the first binding partner and secondprotein binding partner are fusion proteins. In other implementations,the first binding partner and second protein binding partner are taggedproteins. Tagged proteins include proteins that are epitope tagged,e.g., FLAG-tagged, HA-tagged, His-tagged, Myc-tagged, among others knownin the art. In some implementations, the first protein binding partneris a full-length protein and the second protein binding partner is atruncated protein. The first protein binding partner and second proteinbinding partner may each be any of the following: a full-length protein,truncated protein, fusion protein, tagged protein, or combinationsthereof

In some implementations, the first binding partner is an E3 ubiquitinligase. In other implementations the library of first binding partnersis a library of E3 ubiquitin ligases or a library of E3 ubiquitin ligasemutants generated by site saturation mutagenesis, among other methods.E3 ubiquitin ligases include MDM2, CRL4^(CRBN), SCF^(β-TrCP), UBE3A, andmany other species that are well known in the art. E3 ubiquitin ligasesrecruit the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that has been loaded withubiquitin, recognize its target protein substrate, and catalyze thetransfer of ubiquitin molecules from the E2 to the protein substrate forsubsequent degradation by the proteasome complex.

In some implementations, the second binding partner is a target proteincomprising a degron. In other implementations the library of secondbinding partners is a library of proteins comprising degrons or alibrary of proteins comprising degron mutants generated by sitesaturation mutagenesis, among other methods. A degron is a portion of aprotein that mediates regulated protein degradation, in some cases bythe ubiquitin proteasome system. Degrons may include short amino acidmotifs; post-translational modifications, e.g., phosphorylation;structural motifs; sugar modifications; among others.

In some implementations wherein the second binding partner is a degron,the degron may be fluorescently tagged, i.e., by expressing the degronas a fusion protein that includes a genetically encoded fluorescent tag,e.g., green fluorescent protein (GFP), red fluorescent protein (RFP),mCherry, M Scarlet, tdTomato, among others.

In some implementations, nucleic acid vectors bearing expressioncassettes encoding fluorescently tagged degrons may be transfected intomammalian cells by any number of conventional transfection methods. Thenucleic acid vectors may also comprise one or more molecular barcodes,one or more selectable markers, one or more recombination sites, amongother features that are commonly carried by expression vectors inmammalian cells. The fluorescently tagged degron peptides may comprise alibrary of degron peptides that have been modified by SSM with aminoacid substitutions that contribute steric bulk to the peptide. Themammalian cells that have been transfected with the expression cassettesencoding fluorescently tagged degron peptides may be sorted byfluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) into two or more distinctpopulations, for example, a first population comprising mammalian cellsdisplaying high fluorescence intensity and a second populationcomprising mammalian cells displaying low fluorescence intensity. Insome implementations the population comprising mammalian cellsdisplaying low fluorescence intensity further comprises cells in whichthe fluorescently tagged degron peptide has been degraded by interactionwith one or more E3 ubiquitin ligases that was present in the mammaliancell.

In some implementations, the expression cassettes encoding fluorescentlytagged degrons may be isolated from the population of mammalian cellsdisplaying low fluorescence intensity by any number of conventionalnucleic acid extraction techniques. Expression cassettes encodingfluorescently tagged degron peptides may be sequenced by any number ofnucleic acid sequencing methods to identify the degron mutants that weredegraded.

In some implementations, mutant degron peptides that are identified byNGS as disclosed above may be used as “bait” in peptide pull-down assayto identify the one or more E3 ubiquitin ligases with which the mutantdegron proteins interact. Complexes comprising a mutant degron peptideand the E3 ubiquitin ligases with which it interacts may be furthercharacterized by, e.g., crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy,micro-electron diffraction, mass spectrometry, or computationalmodeling, among other methods for characterizing protein-proteincomplexes that are well known in the art.

FIG. 1 illustrates a series of charts showing the library-by-libraryscreening capacity of the AlphaSeq method. Chart 100 illustratesscreening the interaction of a first library of 100 binding partnersagainst a second library of 100 binding partners and measuring 10,000interactions. The first library of protein binding partners maycomprise, for example, polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase species, Thefirst library of protein binding partners may further comprise, forexample,full length E3 ubiquitin ligases with mapped domains;high-throughput user-designed oligo-encodable truncated E3 ubiquitinligase domains; or polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase species that havebeen modified by site saturation mutagenesis. The second library ofprotein binding partners may comprise, for example, polypeptidesubstrate species, The second library of protein binding partners mayfurther comprise, for example, previously known full-length mapped E3ubiquitin ligase substrate domains; high-throughput oligo-encodabletruncated E3 ubiquitin ligase substrates; E3 ubiquitin ligase substratespecies that have been modified by site saturation rnutagenesis;previously defined degron motifs; or computationally-predicted degronmotifs. Chart 102 illustrates screening the interaction of a firstlibrary of 1,000 binding partners against second library of 1,000binding partners and measuring 1,000,000 interactions. Chart 104illustrates screening the interaction of a first library of 10,000binding partners against a second library of 10,000 binding partners andmeasuring 100,000,000 interactions. Chart 106 demonstrates thecorrelation between protein-protein affinity (K_(D)) with AlphaSeqintensity for 10,000 interactions. Chan 108 demonstrates the correlationbetween protein-protein affinity (K_(D)) with AlphaSeq intensity for1,000,000 interactions. Chart 110 demonstrates the correlation betweenprotein-protein affinity (K_(D)) with AlphaSeq intensity for 100,000,000interactions.

FIG. 2A is a schematic of two protein binding partners interacting incomplex, emphasizing the interface between the two protein bindingpartners and a site saturation mutagenesis (SSM) screen of the twoprotein binding partners 204 and 206. Amino acid residue 200 of proteinbinding partner 204 corresponds to amino acid residue 202 of proteinbinding partner 206. Amino acid residue 200 of protein binding partner204 may be substituted by one of any of the additional amino acidresidues available, naturally occurring or artificial, and screened forinteraction against a similar library of substitutions of amino acidresidue 202 of protein binding partner 206. The results of such alibrary-by-library SSM screen are shown in FIG. 2B. Heatmap 208illustrates the library-by-library intensity measurements by AlphaSeq ofthe interactions between protein binding partners carrying SSM mutationsat every amino acid residue defining the protein-protein interface.Darker shades represent higher AlphaSeq intensity and lighter shadesrepresent lower AlphaSeq intensity. For example, inset 210 highlightsthe library-by-library AlphaSeq intensities for an SSM library ofsubstitutions of amino acid 212 measured against an SSM library ofsubstitutions of amino acid 214.

FIGS. 3A-3C are graphical representations of a subset of protein-proteininteractions detected by the data presented in FIGS. 2A-2B andillustrate the capability of the methods disclosed herein to detectrelative affinity between wild-type and mutant protein binding partnersand the effect of single amino acid substitutions on affinity betweentwo protein binding partners. FIG. 3A illustrates a scenario whereinwild-type protein binding partners interact with high affinity, mutantprotein binding partners interact with high affinity, but a mutant ofeither the first or second protein binding partner does not interactwith the wild-type form of the other protein binding partner. FIG. 3Billustrates a scenario wherein both the wild-type and mutant form of thefirst protein binding partner interact with the wild-type form of thesecond protein binding partner, but the wild-type first protein bindingpartner does not interact with the mutant second protein bindingpartner, i.e., mutation of the second protein binding partner abolishesinteraction with the wild-type first protein binding partner. FIG. 3Cillustrates a scenario wherein both the wild-type and mutant form of thefirst protein binding partner interact with the mutant form of thesecond protein binding partner, but the mutant first protein bindingpartner does not interact with the wild-type second protein bindingpartner, i.e., mutation of the first protein binding partner abolishesinteraction with the wild-type second protein binding partner.

FIG. 4 illustrates the workflow of a library-by-library protein-proteininteraction screen using AlphaSeq. A first library 400 of proteinbinding partners and second library 402 of protein binding partners aregenerated by site-saturation mutagenesis and expressed in yeast. The twolibrary populations are mixed and protein binding partners bind ininteraction step 404. Cells expressing protein binding partners thathave interacted mate in fusing step 406. Protein-protein interactionsbetween the first and second libraries are detected and quantified inmeasuring step 408.

FIG. 5 illustrates the workflow of a library-by-library protein-proteininteraction screen in the presence of a candidate small molecule usingAlphaSeq. A first library 500 of protein binding partners and secondlibrary 502 of protein binding partners are generated by site-saturationmutagenesis and expressed in yeast. The two library populations aremixed in liquid culture, small molecule 503 is introduced to theculture, and protein binding partners bind in interaction step 504.Cells expressing protein binding partners that have interacted mate infusing step 506. Protein-protein interactions between the first andsecond libraries are detected and quantified in measuring step 508.

FIGS. 6A and 6B demonstrate the capability of AlphaSeq to detect theeffect of known small molecule agonists on the interaction between twoprotein binding partners. FIG. 6A illustrates the known dissociationconstants between the prolyl isomerase FKBP12, the FRB domain of TOR,and the small molecule rapamycin and its analogs everolimus andridaforolimus. Accordingly, FIG. 6B is a chart illustrating theagonistic effect of rapamycin and its analogs on the interaction betweenFKBP12 and the FRB domain. Increasing compound concentration correlateswith increasing mating efficiency, and thus, increased binding affinitybetween the two protein binding partners.

FIGS. 7A and 7B demonstrate the capability of AlphaSeq in detecting theknown agonistic effect of thalidomide and its analogs on the interactionbetween the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cereblon (CRBN) and its substrate Ikarosfactor 1 (IKZF1). FIG. 7A is a schematic illustrating thalidomide, orits analogs, mediating the interaction between CRBN and IKZF1. FIG. 7Bis a chart highlighting the agonistic effect of thalidomide,lenalidomide, and pomalidomide on the interaction of IKZF1 withwild-type CRBN, but not mutant CRBN.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustrating the process for identifying putative“holes” in a protein binding partner that may indicate candidates forfunctional small molecule screening. Wild-type protein binding partner800 and wild-type protein binding partner 802, for example, may haveweak interaction and low or undetectable affinity. Protein bindingpartner 804 has been modified by SSM with amino acid substitutions thatcontribute steric bulk 806. Protein binding partners 804 and 810 showdramatically increased affinity with a very low K_(D), suggesting thepresence of putative “hole” 808. Additional steric bulk 806 is filling“hole” 808 and stabilizing the ternary complex between protein bindingpartners 804 and 810. Similarly, small molecule 814 may be identified ordesigned to fill the putative hole, stabilize the ternary complex, andenhance affinity between protein binding partners 812 and 816.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustrating a screen for interaction between afirst protein binding partner and a library of second protein bindingpartners. Wild-type protein binding partner 900 and wild-type proteinbinding partner 902 show little or no binding affinity. Protein bindingpartner 906 has been modified by SSM with amino acid substitutions thatcontribute steric bulk 908 and is a member of a library of proteinbinding partners that have been similarly modified by SSM, each carryingdifferent amino acid substitutions that contribute additional stericbulk. This library of mutant protein binding partners is screenedagainst protein binding partner 904 to detect and measure bindingaffinity and identify putative “holes” that represent druggable targetsfor small molecule development. Alternatively, protein binding partner904 may be modified by SSM with amino acid substitutions that contributesteric bulk to generate a library of protein binding partners that havebeen similarly modified by SSM, and this library may be screened againstprotein binding partner 906.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustrating a screen for interaction between alibrary of first protein binding partner and a library of second proteinbinding partners. Wild-type protein binding partner 1000 and wild-typeprotein binding partner 1002 show little or no binding affinity. Proteinbinding partner 1004 has been modified by SSM with amino acidsubstitutions that contribute steric bulk 1006 and is a member of alibrary of protein binding partners that have been similarly modified bySSM, each carrying different amino acid substitutions that contributeadditional steric bulk. Protein binding partner 1008 has been modifiedby SSM with amino acid substitutions that contribute steric bulk 1010and is a member of a library of protein binding partners that have beensimilarly modified by SSM, each carrying different amino acidsubstitutions that contribute additional steric bulk. The library ofmutant protein binding partners comprising mutant protein bindingpartner 1004 is screened against the library of mutant protein bindingpartners comprising mutant protein binding partner 1008 to detect andmeasure binding affinity and identify putative “holes” that representdruggable targets for small molecule development.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the workflow of the methodsdisclosed herein. In step 1100, according to the methods disclosedherein, pairs of protein binding partners wherein one or both proteinbinding partners have been mutated to introduce steric bulk, and thatbind with increased affinity relative to the wild-type protein bindingpartners, are identified. In step 1102, the mutant protein bindingpartners are further characterized by, for example, crystallography todetermine their structure either in complex or individually. In step1104, the resulting structures are computationally restored to theirwild-type amino acid sequence. Comparison between the mutants identifiedin step 1100 and their respective wild-type structure indicates thestructures of putative “holes.” In step 1106, the structures of putativeholes are used for computational small molecule design.

FIG. 12 illustrates the workflow of a library-by-library protein-proteininteraction screen using AlphaSeq, wherein more than one member of thefirst library of protein binding partners are polypeptide E3 ubiquitinligases and more than one member of the second library of proteinbinding partners are polypeptide target substrates. A first library 1200of E3 ubiquitin ligases and second library 1202 of polypeptide targetsubstrates are generated by mutagenesis and expressed in yeast. The twolibrary populations are mixed and protein binding partners bind ininteraction step 1204. Cells expressing protein binding partners thathave interacted mate in fusing step 1206. Protein-protein interactionsbetween the first and second libraries are detected and quantified inmeasuring step 1208.

FIG. 13 illustrates a heatmap 1306 of AlphaSeq data representingintensities of interactions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases1302 and polypeptide target substrates 1304, wherein darker shadingindicates a relatively stronger interaction and lighter shadingindicates a relatively weaker interaction, according to scale bar 1300.Individual members of the library of polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases1302 represented by the vertical axis of the grid and individual membersof the library of polypeptide target substrates 1304 are represented bythe horizontal axis of the grid. The shaded boxes of the heatmaprepresent the strength of the interaction between a single member of thelibrary of polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases 1302 and a single member ofthe library of polypeptide target substrates 1304.

FIG. 14A illustrates a zoomed in section 1400 of heatmap 1306highlighting intensities of particular interactions between proteinbinding partners in greater resolution, wherein box 1408 has beenselected to be examined in greater detail. The E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2is well-characterized and known to interact with hundreds of polypeptidetarget substrates. An AlphaSeq assay was performed using a library ofvarious truncated MDM2 E3 ubiquitin ligases and library of a subset ofknown MDM2 target substrates. The library of truncated MDM2 E3 ubiquitinligases are represented by the vertical axis 1404 of the heatmap 1400and the library of known MDM2 target substrates are represented by thehorizontal axis 1402 of the heatmap 1400. Darker shading, for example inthe boxes in the vicinity of box 1406, indicate a relatively strongerinteraction between individual members of the library of varioustruncated MDM2 E3 ubiquitin ligases and library of a subset of knownMDM2 target substrates.

FIG. 14B illustrates a section of heatmap 1400 zoomed in further todepict greater detail, and the results of an additional experimentincluding small molecule compounds. Heatmap 1410 depicts a subset ofsquares from heatmap 1400 in the vicinity of square 1406 indicated inFIG. 14A. Interaction between E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 and polypeptidetarget substrate p53 are well known and thoroughly characterized.Heatmap 1410 represents relative intensities of pair-wise interactionsbetween various truncations of E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 (MDM2 t1; MDM2t2; MDM2 t3) and various truncations of polypeptide target substrate p53(p53 t1; p53 t2; p53 t3; p53 t4). Canonical interactions betweenindividual MDM2 truncations and individual p53 truncations occur betweenspecific truncated forms only, as reported in the literature,demonstrating that the AlphaSeq assay robustly detects and quantifiesthe strength of interactions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligasesand polypeptide target substrates. Further, heatmap 1412 is anadditional experiment measuring relative intensities of pair-wiseinteractions between each of several MDM2 truncations and p53truncations with and without the presence of two small moleculecompounds, nutlins, which are cis-imidazoline analogs that are known toinhibit the interaction between MDM2 and p53. For example, box 1414represents a strong interaction between MDM2 t2 and p53 t1 in theabsence of nutlins. Box 1416 represents a relatively weak interactionbetween MDM2 t2 and p53 t1 in the presence of nutlins, due to thenutlins disrupting the interaction. This experiment further demonstratesthat the AlphaSeq assay robustly detects and quantifies the strength ofinteractions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases and polypeptidetarget substrates and shows that the assay detects disruptions betweenprotein binding partners due to the effects of small molecule compounds.

FIG. 15 illustrates a heatmap 1500 of AlphaSeq data representingintensities of interactions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases1502 and polypeptide target substrates 1504, wherein darker shadingindicates a relatively stronger interaction and lighter shadingindicates a relatively weaker interaction, according to scale bar 1506.Individual members of the library of polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases1502 are represented by the vertical axis of the grid and individualmembers of the library of polypeptide target substrates 1504 arerepresented by the horizontal axis of the grid. Heatmap 1508 depicts asubset of squares from heatmap 1500 zoomed in to highlight specificinteractions in greater detail. Interaction between E3 ubiquitin ligaseKEAP1 and polypeptide target substrate Nrf2 are well known and wellcharacterized in the literature. Heatmap 1508 shows relative intensityof pairwise interactions between a truncation of human KEAP1 or mouseKEAP1 with several Nrf2 variants (Nrf2 t1; Nrf2 t1 mutant; Nrf2 t2; Nrf2t2 mutant). Each of the Nrf2 truncation mutants were generated bytargeted mutagenesis. As indicated by boxes 1510 and 1512, human KEAP1t1 has relatively strong interaction with each of Nrf2 t1 and Nrf2 t2.However, boxes 1511 and 1513 show that mutations of each of Nrf2 t1 andNrf2 t2 disrupt this interaction. The same is true for mouse KEAP1. Thisexperiment demonstrates that the AlphaSeq assay robustly detects andquantifies the strength of interactions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitinligases and polypeptide target substrates and shows that the assay maydetect disruptions between protein binding partners due to the mutationof one of the protein binding partners.

FIG. 16 illustrates a heatmap 1600 of AlphaSeq data representingintensities of interactions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases1602 and polypeptide target substrates 1604, wherein darker shadingindicates a relatively stronger interaction and lighter shadingindicates a relatively weaker interaction, according to scale bar 1606.Inset 1608 highlights quantitative data for interactions between the E3ubiquitin ligase KEAP1 and several polypeptide target substrates. Nrf2is a previously known target substrate for KEAP1 and the interactionintensity between KEAP1 and Nrf2 is at least three orders of magnitudehigher than between KEAP1 and a negative control polypeptide targetsubstrate. In the graph, bars 1612 and 1614 represent quantitativeinteraction intensity data for two novel KEAP1 substrates. These novelpolypeptide target substrates have an interaction intensity with KEAP1that is at least an order of magnitude higher than the interaction ofKEAP1 with a negative control. These two putative substrates of KEAP1represent possible targets wherein a small molecule may be selected,identified, or designed to strengthen the interaction between KEAP1 andthe putative target substrate.

Inset 1610 highlights quantitative data for interactions between the E3ubiquitin ligase SPSB2 and several polypeptide target substrates. Par4is a previously known target substrate for SPSB2 and the interactionintensity between SPSB2 and Par4 is at least three orders of magnitudehigher than between SPSB2 and a negative control polypeptide targetsubstrate. In the graph, bars 1616 and 1618 represent quantitativeinteraction intensity data for two novel SPSB2 substrates. These novelpolypeptide target substrates have an interaction intensity with SPSB2that is at least an order of magnitude higher than the interaction ofSPSB2 with a negative control. These two putative substrates of SPSB2represent possible targets wherein a small molecule may be selected,identified, or designed to strengthen the interaction between SPSB2 andthe putative target substrate. This experiment demonstrates that theAlphaSeq assay robustly detects and quantifies the strength ofinteractions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases and polypeptidetarget substrates and shows that the assay may detect novel interactionsbetween protein binding partners, novel interactions that may becandidates for small molecule discovery.

FIG. 17A illustrates a heatmap 1700 of AlphaSeq data representingintensities of interactions between a library of variants of thepolypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase cereblon (CRBN) and a library ofvariants of its polypeptide target substrate Ikaros (IKZF1), whereindarker shading indicates a relatively stronger interaction between anindividual CRBN variants and IKZF1 variant and lighter shading indicatesa relatively weaker interaction, according to scale bar 1702. Individualmembers of the library of CRBN variants are represented by the verticalaxis 1704 of the grid and individual members of the library of IKZF1variants are represented by the horizontal axis 1706 of the grid. Theshaded boxes of the heatmap represent the strength of the interactionbetween a single member of the library of polypeptide E3 ubiquitinligases 1704 and a single member of the library of polypeptide targetsubstrates 1706. The interaction of the wild-type E3 ubiquitin ligaseCRBN and its wild-type target substrate IKZF1 is well-known in the art.The library of CRBN variants and the library of IKZF1 variants were eachgenerated by site saturation mutagenesis. Heatmap 1708 depicts a subsetof squares from heatmap 1700 zoomed in to highlight specificinteractions in greater detail. The square indicated by arrowhead 1712represents the interaction of wild-type CRBN and wild-type IKZF1 and therelatively light shading indicates a relatively modest binding affinitybetween the wild-type protein binding partners. The square indicated byarrow 1710 represents the interaction of wild-type CBRN with a mutant ofIKZF1 that carries a mutation which introduces steric bulk to theinterface between the two protein binding partners. The relatively darkshading indicates a binding affinity between wild-type CBRN and themutant IKZF1 that is significantly higher than that of wild-type CBRNand wild-type IKZF1.

A subset of the binding affinity data represented in heatmaps 1700 and1708 are represented in the plot of FIG. 17B. The interaction ofwild-type CRBN and wild-type IKZF1 (1716) has a binding affinity atleast one order of magnitude higher than that of wild-type CRBN (1712)and a negative control or wild-type IKZF1 and a negative control (1714).As indicated by heatmap 1708, the interaction of wild-type CRBN and amutant of IKZF1, G151E which introduced steric bulk to the bindinginterface, increased binding affinity (1718) by at least three orders ofmagnitude relative to the binding affinity of wild-type CRBN andwild-type IKZF1 (1716). Further, the interaction of a mutant CRBN(E377C) and a mutant IKZF1 (G151E) increases binding affinity (1720)between the polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligase and its target substrateeven more significantly than for the interaction of wild-type CRBN andthe mutant (G151E) IKZF1 (1718). These results demonstrate that theAlphaSeq assay robustly detects and quantifies the strength ofinteractions between polypeptide E3 ubiquitin ligases and polypeptidetarget substrates and shows that, combined with saturation mutagenesislibraries of protein binding partners, the assay may detect novelmutations which enhance the binding affinity between protein bindingpartners significantly relative to the binding affinity betweenwild-type protein binding partners. The novel mutations identified bythe assay may then inform small molecule screening campaigns or rationaldrug design based on the predicted or observed impact of the mutation(s)on the binding interface between the protein binding partners.

FIG. 18 illustrates structural models of the binding between CRBN andIKZF1. The crystal structures of CRBN and IKZF1 are well-known, and thecomputation modeling program UCSF ChimeraX (Pettersen E F, Goddard T D,Huang C C, Meng E C, Couch G S, Croll T I, Morris J H, Ferrin T E.Protein Sci. 2021 January; 30(1):70-82.) was used to predict the impactof mutations identified in the experiment represented in FIGS. 17A and17B. Panel 1800 depicts the predicted binding interface betweenwild-type CRBN and wild-type IKZF1. Panel 1802 depicts the predictedbinding interface between wild-type CRBN and wild-type IKZF1 in thepresence of the molecular glue pomalidomide. The immunomodulatory drug(IMiD) pomalidomide is well characterized in its role of enhancing thebinding affinity between IKZF1 and CRBN, leading to the ubiquitinationand degradation of IKZF1. Pomalidomide accomplished this by forminghydrogen bonds and stabilizing the interaction between CRBN and IKZF1 atthe binding interface, as depicted in panel 1802. Panel 1804 depicts thepredicted binding interface between wild-type CRBN and mutant (G151E)IKZF1, corresponding to the quantitative results plotted in FIG. 17B.Panel 1806 depicts the predicted binding interface between mutant CRBN(E377C) and mutant IKZF1 (G151E) corresponding to the quantitativeresults plotted in FIG. 17B. As highlighted by the arrows in panels 1804and 1806, the mutations introduced to the protein binding partners alsomediate hydrogen bonds between the protein binding partners and maystabilize the binding interface, leading to the enhanced bindingaffinity quantified in FIG. 17B. As shown in panel 1804, the IKZF1mutation G151E is predicted to mediate a hydrogen bond between wild-typeCRBN and mutant IKZF1. As shown in 1806, the IKZF1 mutation G151E andthe CRBN mutation E377C are each predicated to mediate a hydrogen bondbetween mutant CRBN and mutant IKZF1. These results demonstrate thecapabilities of the assay for detecting, in an unbiased screening methodand without any prior knowledge of the binding interface, mutationswhich may stabilize the binding interactions between protein bindingpartners leading to a binding affinity that is substantially higher thanthe binding affinity between the wild-type protein binding partners.Combined with structural modeling and computational prediction,mutations identified by this method may be used to inform small moleculescreening campaigns or rational drug design based on the predicted orobserved impact of the mutation(s) on the binding interface between theprotein binding partners.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the present disclosures. Indeed, the novel methods, apparatusesand systems described herein can be embodied in a variety of otherforms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in theform of the methods, apparatuses and systems described herein can bemade without departing from the spirit of the present disclosures. Theaccompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover suchforms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of thepresent disclosures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for assaying protein-proteininteractions, the method comprising: providing a plurality ofpolypeptide ubiquitin ligase species expressed and displayed on thesurface of a first plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells, whereinthe first plurality of polypeptides ubiquitin ligase species comprises alibrary of wild-type polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and mutantpolypeptide ubiquitin ligase species that have been modified at one ormore amino acid residue positions by mutagenesis; providing a pluralityof polypeptide substrate species expressed and displayed on the surfaceof a second plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells, wherein theplurality of polypeptide substrate species comprises a library ofwild-type polypeptide substrate species and mutant polypeptidesubstrates species that have been modified at one or more amino acidresidue positions by mutagenesis; combining the first plurality ofrecombinant haploid yeast cells and the second plurality of recombinanthaploid yeast cells in a liquid medium to produce a culture; growing theculture for a time and under conditions such that one or moreinteractions between one or more of the plurality of polypeptideubiquitin ligase species and one or more of the plurality of polypeptidesubstrate species mediates one or more mating events between one or moreof the first plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells and one ormore of the second plurality of recombinant haploid yeast cells toproduce one or more diploid yeast cells; determining, based on thenumber of mating events in the culture, the strength of the interactionsbetween one or more of the plurality of polypeptide ubiquitin ligasespecies and one or more of the plurality of polypeptide substratespecies; and identifying pairs of polypeptides wherein one or both ofone of the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and one of thepolypeptide substrate species have been modified at one or more aminoacid residue positions by mutagenesis and the strength of theinteraction (K_(D)) between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species andthe polypeptide substrate species is stronger or weaker than theinteraction between the corresponding wild-type polypeptide species byat least 10%
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the strength of theinteraction (K_(D)) between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species andthe polypeptide substrate species is stronger or weaker than theinteraction between the corresponding wild-type polypeptide species byat least 25%.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or morepolypeptide ubiquitin ligase species are E3 ubiquitin ligase species. 4.The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more polypeptide substratespecies comprise a known or predicted degron motif
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the first plurality of polypeptides havebeen modified at one or more amino acid residue positions by mutagenesisto introduce steric bulk to a domain of the polypeptide.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: computationallymodeling the interface between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase speciesand the polypeptide substrate species that have been modified at one ormore amino acid residue positions by mutagenesis in order to determinethe structure of the interface between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligasespecies and the polypeptide substrate species.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the growing step further comprises growing the culture in thepresence of one or more small molecules, proteins, peptides,pharmaceutical compound, or other chemical entities.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the identifying step further comprises identifyingpairs of polypeptides wherein the strength of the interaction (K_(D))between the polypeptide ubiquitin ligase species and the polypeptidesubstrate species is stronger or weaker in the presence of one or moresmall molecules, proteins, peptides, pharmaceutical compound, or otherchemical entities than the interaction between the polypeptide ubiquitinligase species and the polypeptide substrate species in the absence ofthe one or more small molecules, proteins, peptides, pharmaceuticalcompound, or other chemical entities by at least 10%
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of polypeptides ubiquitin ligase speciesare wild-type ubiquitin ligase species and the plurality of polypeptidesubstrate species are wild type polypeptide substrate species.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein an interaction between one of the pluralityof polypeptides ubiquitin ligase species and one of the plurality ofpolypeptide substrate species is detected in the presence of one or moresmall molecules, proteins, peptides, pharmaceutical compound while nointeraction is detected between one of the plurality of polypeptidesubiquitin ligase species and one of the plurality of polypeptidesubstrate species in the absence of the small molecule, protein,peptide, pharmaceutical compound, or other chemical entity.